Metering device for shaped cleaning-agent bodies in domestic dishwashers

ABSTRACT

A metering device for dispensing a cleaning-agent body from a reservoir into a washing chamber of a household dishwasher includes a cell wheel which is rotatably mounted in a cavity. The cell wheel includes a drive cylinder and a plurality of separating walls which are fastened to the drive cylinder to define a plurality of separate transport chambers for holding cleaning-agent bodies and transporting the cleaning-agent bodies from the reservoir into the washing chamber. Each separating wall is elastic at least in a partial area thereof and defined by a radial extent which is greater than a radial distance between a lateral surface of the drive cylinder and an inner wall of the cavity.

The present invention relates to a metering device for dispensing shaped cleaning-agent bodies from a reservoir into a washing chamber of a household dishwasher.

In commercially available household dishwashers, it is necessary to add cleaning agent manually in powder form or in the form of tablets before the start of a washing process. It is usual for merely the rinse aid to be stored in liquid form in a reservoir inside the household dishwasher for multiple applications and to be added automatically via a metering device. The manual addition of cleaning agent before each washing process is regarded by many users as tiresome and inconvenient. As a result, attempts have been made for some time to develop so-called automatic metering systems for household dishwashers, which are designed to permit cleaning agent also to be stored in reservoirs for multiple applications and to be added automatically via corresponding metering devices.

For example, a metering device for dispensing cleaning tablets from a reservoir into the usable space of a dishwasher is disclosed in EP 1 159 913 A1, in which a substantially vapor-tight lock is arranged between the reservoir and the usable space. The reservoir in this case is configured for holding a loose filling of tablets and the lock has a transport device, for example in the form of a cell wheel, for actively transporting the tablets through said lock. If required, the outer periphery of the cell wheel and/or the inner periphery of the cavity in which the cell wheel runs may be additionally provided with seals in order to ensure vapor-tightness. However, it should be mentioned that it is frequently sufficient to permit the cell wheel to run with a small air gap relative to the surrounding cavity so that the cell wheel at the same time forms the substantially vapor-tight lock.

The object of the invention is to provide a metering device for dispensing shaped cleaning-agent bodies from a reservoir into a washing chamber of a household dishwasher, which permits a reliable automatic dispensing of shaped cleaning-agent bodies for a plurality of successive washing processes.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a metering device having the features as claimed in claim 1.

Accordingly, the metering device comprises a cell wheel for actively transporting the shaped cleaning-agent bodies from a reservoir into a washing chamber of a household dishwasher. The reservoir in this case is designed to hold a filling of shaped cleaning-agent bodies. The cell wheel is rotatably mounted in a cavity and has a plurality of transport chambers for holding shaped cleaning-agent bodies. In this case, the individual transport chambers are respectively separated from each other by separating walls and the separating walls are fastened to a drive cylinder of the cell wheel. According to the invention, the separating walls are configured to be elastic at least in partial areas and the radial extent of the separating walls is greater than the radial distance between the lateral surface of the drive cylinder and the inner walls of the cavity.

The term “shaped cleaning-agent bodies” is intended to be understood within the scope of the invention as all shaped bodies with a defined external shape, which contain any constituents which are able to be used within the context of cleaning crockery. For example, tablets, pellets, granules or capsules fall within this term. The term is also not limited to shaped bodies which contain the actual cleaning agent. Rather, shaped bodies which comprise additives for use in rinsing cycles, for water-softening or water-conditioning and the like, are also intended to be encompassed thereby.

The reservoir is that region of the metering device which contains the store of shaped cleaning-agent bodies. The reservoir is designed to be refillable or even to be replaceable, for example in the form of a cartridge. The reservoir is designed to hold a filling, in particular a loose filling of shaped cleaning-agent bodies. This means that the shaped cleaning-agent bodies are randomly oriented in the reservoir and are not stored in a predetermined geometric arrangement.

The embodiment of the reservoir according to the invention to hold a filling of shaped cleaning-agent bodies permits simple storage, even of larger quantities of shaped cleaning-agent bodies. Complex storage of the tablets is not required.

The active transport of the shaped cleaning-agent bodies from the reservoir into the washing chamber results in a desired quantity of cleaning agent being metered in a reliable manner. “Active transport” in this case means that the shaped cleaning-agent bodies are transported by the action of an external force. In practice, the drive cylinder of the cell wheel and thus also the cell wheel are actively driven by means of a drive unit, for example an electric motor.

The fastening of the separating walls to the drive cylinder has to be designed such that the separating walls protruding radially from the drive cylinder are connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the drive cylinder, so that they rotate with the drive cylinder. Preferably, the separating walls are integrally configured with the drive cylinder but they may also be fastened to the drive cylinder by means of known fastening means.

If the drive cylinder and thus the cell wheel are actively driven, the radial extent of the separating walls in combination with the at least elastic configuration provided in partial areas leads to an elastic deformation of the separating walls at least in the region in which the cell wheel is surrounded by the inner walls of the cavity. This elastic deformation of the separating walls has the result that the separating walls, subjected to a spring force, are forced against the inner walls of the cavity in which the cell wheel rotates. In this manner, by simple and cost-effective structural means a reliable sealing action is produced, preventing moisture in the form of liquid or vapor from the washing chamber from penetrating the reservoir and leading to the shaped cleaning-agent bodies being dissolved, agglutinated, clumped together, or the like. A cell wheel designed according to the invention accordingly acts as a lock which in normal operation of the household dishwasher prevents moisture from the washing chamber from penetrating into the reservoir, to the extent that the usefulness of the shaped cleaning-agent bodies would be limited. The separating walls designed according to the invention are accordingly able to be applied in a vapor-tight manner against an inner wall of the cavity by a restoring force produced by the elastic deformation.

In addition to the sealing action, the design and, in particular, the radial extent of the separating walls also has an effect on the metering accuracy and the tendency of the shaped cleaning-agent bodies to become blocked, jammed or to form bridges. A surprisingly high metering accuracy and an almost complete prevention of the shaped bodies becoming blocked, jammed or forming bridges may be achieved if the radial extent of the separating walls exceeds the radial distance between the lateral surface of the drive cylinder and the inner walls of the cavity by 10% to 50%, in particular by 10% to 30%.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the separating walls are configured to be elastic only in partial areas, which by implication means that the remaining partial areas of the separating walls are not configured to be elastic. By the combination of elastic and non-elastic partial areas, the sealing forces acting on the inner surfaces of the cavity may be adapted both in the radial and in the axial direction optimally to the respective application and/or the respective environmental conditions. Alternatively or additionally, this advantage may also be achieved by the separating walls in each case comprising partial areas with variable elastic properties.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the separating walls are configured to be elastic in their end regions remote from the drive cylinder. In this manner, the shear forces acting on the separating walls may be minimized on the walls of the cavity.

Alternatively, however, the separating walls may be configured to be non-elastic in their end regions remote from the drive cylinder. Such an embodiment improves, in particular, the sliding properties of the separating walls on the inner surfaces of the cavity and accordingly leads to an increase in the service life.

If the shaped cleaning-agent bodies during transport inside the transport chambers are very compressed or closely spaced together, this may lead to the individual shaped bodies being agglomerated or compacted. This problem occurs, in particular, when the shaped bodies are small in comparison with the receiving volume of the transport chambers, so that many shaped cleaning-agent bodies may be transported simultaneously inside a transport chamber. The agglutination or compaction of the shaped bodies, on the one hand, may cause a jamming of the cell wheel and, on the other hand, a reduced cleaning action after being dispensed into the washing chamber. Therefore, it is advantageous if the rotational axis of the drive cylinder is displaced in the direction of the reservoir, in comparison with an axis of symmetry of the cavity. In this manner, the receiving volume of the transport chambers becomes increasingly large the closer the transport chambers are brought to an ejection chute for ejecting the shaped cleaning-agent bodies. This leads to a loosening of the transported shaped cleaning-agent bodies and accordingly to an unhindered movement of the cell wheel and to optimal metering, which in turn results in a good cleaning performance.

A further embodiment of the invention provides that support webs are fastened to the drive cylinder, in each case said support webs being assigned to a separating wall and being configured and arranged such that the separating walls are prevented from bearing against the drive cylinder. The tendency of the separating walls to bear in such a manner may, in particular, rise with an increasing length of operation and would lead to the sealing action on the inner surfaces of the cavity being progressively reduced and/or even entirely absent. The support webs accordingly help to ensure a permanent, reliable sealing action.

In order to provide a solution which is as cost-effective as possible it is advantageous to design the cell wheel as a two-component injection-molded part.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the cell wheel is able to be compressed in an axial direction thereof. To this end, the cell wheel may be produced at least partially from an elastically deformable material, such as for example a thermoplastic polyurethane. When compressed in the axial direction, the cell wheel may be expanded in the radial direction. The axial direction is preferably oriented parallel to a rotational axis of the drive cylinder or corresponds thereto. In particular, the drive cylinder and/or the separating walls are able to be compressed.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, a width of the cell wheel in a state removed from the cavity is greater than a distance between two opposing side walls of the cavity. The width is determined, in particular, in the axial direction. The metering device preferably comprises a housing in which the cavity is formed and in which the cell wheel is received. The housing may comprise the side walls. Preferably, the drive cylinder is rotatably mounted on the side walls.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the cell wheel is pretensioned in each case with a pretensioning force against the side walls. In particular, the pretensioning force acts in the axial direction. As a result, a vapor-tight seal of the transfer opening may also be achieved in the axial direction.

Further advantageous embodiments and features of the invention form the subject-matter of the subclaims and the exemplary embodiments of the invention described hereinafter. The invention is described in more detail hereinafter by means of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a household dishwasher;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of a metering device according to the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic detailed view of a second embodiment of a metering device according to the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic detailed view of a third embodiment of a metering device according to the invention; and

FIG. 5 shows a schematic detailed view of a fourth embodiment of a metering device according to the invention.

Elements which are the same or functionally the same are provided in the figures with the same reference numerals provided nothing further is specified.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a household dishwasher 1. The dishwasher 1 has a receiving region in the form of a dishwasher cavity 2, which is able to be closed by a door 3, in particular in a watertight manner. To this end, a sealing apparatus may be provided between the door 3 and the dishwasher cavity 2. The dishwasher cavity 2 is preferably cuboidal. In particular, the dishwasher cavity 2 may be produced from steel plate. Alternatively, the dishwasher cavity 2 may be produced at least partially from a plastics material. The dishwasher cavity 2 and the door 3 may form a dishwasher cavity 4 so that washing items may be washed. The dishwasher cavity 2 may be arranged in the interior of a housing of the dishwasher 1.

The door 3 is shown in FIG. 1 in its open position. The door 3 may be closed or opened by pivoting about a pivot axis 5 provided on a lower end of the door 3. The dishwasher cavity 2 has a wall 6 with a bottom 7, a top wall 8 arranged opposite the bottom 7, a rear wall 9 arranged opposite the door 3, and two side walls 10, 11 arranged opposite one another. The bottom 7, the top wall 8, the rear wall 9 and the side walls 10, 11 may be produced, for example, from stainless steel plate. Alternatively, for example, the bottom 7 may be produced from a plastics material.

The dishwasher 1 further comprises at least one washing item receptacle 12 to 14. In particular, a plurality of washing item receptacles 12 to 14 may be provided, wherein said washing item receptacles may comprise a lower basket 12, an upper basket 13 and/or a cutlery drawer 14. The plurality of washing item receptacles 12 to 14 are preferably arranged one above the other in the dishwasher cavity 2. Each washing item receptacle 12 to 14 is optionally displaceable into the dishwasher cavity 2 or out of said dishwasher cavity. In particular, each washing item receptacle 12 to 14 is able to be pushed into the dishwasher cavity 2 in an insertion direction E and is able to be pulled out of the dishwasher cavity 2 counter to the insertion direction E in an extension direction A.

The dishwasher 1 further comprises a metering device 100. The metering device 100 in the example of FIG. 1 is arranged on the door 3, so that when the door 3 is closed it is oriented toward the washing chamber 4. This advantageously enables the metering device 100 to meter shaped cleaning-agent bodies into the washing chamber 4. The shaped cleaning-agent bodies are then dissolved by the washing liquor located in the washing chamber 4.

Departing from the view in FIG. 1, further arrangements of the metering device 100 are possible, such as for example on the wall 6 of the dishwasher cavity 2 or on one of the washing item receptacles 12 to 14.

FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of a metering device 100 according to the invention. Shaped cleaning-agent bodies 102 are located in a reservoir 101. The reservoir 101 tapers in its lower part and accordingly extends in a funnel-shaped manner to a transfer opening 103. A cavity 104 adjoins the transfer opening 103 in the direction of gravity, a rotatably mounted cell wheel 105 being arranged in said cavity. The cell wheel 105 has a drive cylinder 106 which is actively driven by a drive unit, not shown, in the form of an electric motor. The cell wheel 105 also comprises a plurality of transport chambers 107 which in each case are configured for receiving a predetermined quantity of shaped cleaning-agent bodies 102. In this case, the transport chambers 107 are separated in each case from one another by separating walls 108 radially protruding from the drive cylinder 106. The separating walls 108 are fastened to the drive cylinder 106, preferably configured integrally therewith.

On the one hand, the reservoir 101 with its transfer opening 103 and, on the other hand, an ejection chute 109 discharge into the periphery of the cell wheel 105.

During operation of the metering device 100 shaped cleaning-agent bodies 102 located in the reservoir 101 are initially moved by gravity in the direction of the transfer opening 103 and in this manner supplied to the cell wheel 105. During the rotational movement of the cell wheel 105 in each case a quantity of shaped cleaning-agent bodies 102 defined by the receiving volume of the transport chambers 107 falls from the reservoir 101 through the transfer opening 103 into an empty transport chamber 107. In the exemplary embodiment shown, in each case this is just one shaped cleaning-agent body 102. However, depending on the size of the shaped cleaning-agent bodies 102, on the one hand, and the receiving volume of the transport chambers 107, naturally a plurality of shaped cleaning-agent bodies 102 may also be transported at the same time in a transport chamber 107 and thus also metered (see FIG. 3).

The shaped cleaning-agent bodies 102 are ejected through the ejection chute 109 located diametrically on the opposite side of the periphery of the cavity and fall from there into the washing chamber 4 of the household dishwasher 1.

A lateral surface 110 of the drive cylinder 106 is radially spaced apart from the inner walls 111 of the cavity 104 surrounding the cell wheel 105. This distance is identified in FIG. 2 by D. The separating walls 108 of the cell wheel 105 have a radial extent which is greater than the radial distance D between the lateral surface 110 of the drive cylinder 106 and the inner walls 111 of the cavity 104. However, in order to permit a rotational movement of the cell wheel 105 inside the cavity 104, the separating walls 108 are configured to be elastic at least in partial areas. As a result, the separating walls 108 are elastically deformed with a rotational movement of the cell wheel 105 and accordingly press with a restoring force (spring force) and thus in a sealing manner, in particular a vapor-tight manner, against the inner walls 111 of the cavity 104. In this manner, the cell wheel 105 forms a vapor-tight lock which means that in normal operation of the household dishwasher 1 moisture is not able to penetrate from the washing chamber 4 through the lock into the reservoir 101 or in any case to such an extent that the shaped cleaning-agent bodies 102 are not appreciably dissolved, agglomerated, clumped together, or the like.

FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the metering device 100 according to the invention, wherein for reasons of clarity, the reservoir 101 is only shown partially. This differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 only in that a rotational axis 112 of the drive cylinder 106 is displaced in the direction of the reservoir 101, in comparison with an axis of symmetry 113 of the cavity 104. In this manner, the receiving volume of the transport chambers 107 becomes increasingly large the closer the transport chamber 107 is brought toward the ejection chute 109 for the ejection of the shaped cleaning-agent bodies 102. This leads to a loosening of the shaped cleaning-agent bodies 102 and accordingly to an unhindered movement of the cell wheel 105 and to an optimal metering, which in turn results in a good cleaning performance. In order to identify this effect more clearly, shaped cleaning-agent bodies 102 are shown in FIG. 3 which have a smaller diameter in comparison with the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2. Since the displacement of the rotational axis 112 of the drive cylinder 106 has the result that the radial distance between the lateral surface 110 of the drive cylinder 106 and the inner walls 111 of the cavity 104 is no longer constant, in order to achieve the desired sealing action in this case the radial extent of the separating walls 108 has to be greater than the maximum radial distance D′ between the lateral surface 110 of the drive cylinder 106 and the inner walls 111 of the cavity 104.

A further embodiment of the metering device 100 according to the invention is shown in FIG. 4, wherein once again the reservoir 101 is shown only partially. This embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 only by support webs 114 which are fastened to the drive cylinder 106, preferably integrally configured therewith, being provided. Each of the support webs 114 is respectively assigned to a separating wall 108 and configured and arranged such that the separating walls 108 are prevented from bearing against the drive cylinder 106. The support webs 114 in the exemplary embodiment shown are arranged in an axial outer region of the drive cylinder 106 so that the shaped cleaning-agent bodies 102 according to the view in FIG. 4 come to rest behind the support webs 114 when transported. However, the support webs 114 may be arranged and designed in many different ways. It is merely important that, on the one hand, they prevent the separating walls 108 from bearing against the drive cylinder 106 and, on the other hand, they do not hinder the transport of the shaped cleaning-agent bodies 102.

A development of the metering device 100 according to the invention which optionally may be used with the aforementioned embodiments of the metering device 100 according to FIGS. 2 to 4, is shown in FIG. 5 in a schematic view, i.e. when viewed in the direction from the reservoir 101 to the transfer opening 103.

As FIG. 5 shows, the metering device 100 comprises a housing 115 in which the cavity 104 is formed. The cell wheel 105 is received in the housing 115. The cell wheel 105 is arranged between two opposing side walls 116, 117 of the housing 115 and/or the cavity 104 and may be rotatably mounted on the side walls 116, 117. The cell wheel 105 is able to be compressed in an axial direction AR, which is oriented parallel to the rotational axis 112. To this end, the cell wheel 105 is at least partially produced from an elastically deformable material. The side walls 116, 117 are spaced apart from one another by a distance a. In a state dismantled from the housing 115, which is shown in FIG. 5 by dashed lines and is denoted by the reference numeral 105′, the cell wheel 105 has a width b which is greater than the distance a. For example, the width b is greater than the distance a by a fraction of a millimeter up to a few millimeters.

If the cell wheel 105 is installed in the housing 115 and/or in the cavity 104, this cell wheel is at least partially compressed due to its elastic properties and pressed on both sides with a pretensioning force FV against the side walls 116, 117. The cell wheel 105 is thus pretensioned between the side walls 116, 117. As a result, a vapor-tight seal of the transfer opening 103 is achieved in the axial direction AR. As a result, the rotatability of the cell wheel 105 in the cavity 104 is not negatively influenced thereby.

In all of the aforementioned embodiments of the metering device 100 the separating walls 108 are preferably arranged on the drive cylinder 106 so that in the orientation of FIGS. 2 to 4, to the right and left of the transfer opening 103, a separating wall 108 always bears sealingly against the inner wall 111 of the cavity 104. A separating wall 108 protruding into the transfer opening 103 is arranged between the two separating walls 108 bearing against the inner wall 111. As a result, the transfer opening 103 is always sealed in a vapor-tight manner. In particular, by means of the separating walls 108 bearing against the inner wall 111, the transfer opening 103 is sealed in a radial direction. In other words, in a direction oriented from the drive cylinder 106 to the transfer opening 103. The radially oriented direction or the radial direction in this case is oriented perpendicular to the axial direction AR.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, the invention is able to be modified in many different ways.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS USED

-   1 Household dishwasher -   2 Dishwasher cavity -   3 Door -   4 Washing chamber -   5 Pivot axis -   6 Wall -   7 Bottom -   8 Top wall -   9 Rear wall -   10, 11 Side walls -   12, 13, 14 Washing item receptacles -   100 Metering device -   101 Reservoir -   102 Shaped cleaning-agent bodies -   103 Transfer opening -   104 Cavity -   105 Cell wheel -   105′ Cell wheel -   106 Drive cylinder -   107 Transport chamber -   108 Separating wall -   109 Ejection chute -   110 Lateral surface (of drive cylinder) -   111 Inner wall (of cavity) -   112 Rotational axis (of drive cylinder) -   113 Axis of symmetry (of cavity) -   114 Support web -   115 Housing -   116 Side wall -   117 Side wall -   a Distance -   A Extension direction -   AR Axial direction -   b Width -   E Insertion direction -   D Radial distance (between lateral surface and inner wall) -   D′ Maximum radial distance (between lateral surface and inner wall) -   FV Pretensioning force 

1-13. (canceled)
 14. A metering device for dispensing a cleaning-agent body from a reservoir into a washing chamber of a household dishwasher, said metering device comprising: a cell wheel rotatably mounted in a cavity and including a drive cylinder and a plurality of separating walls fastened to the drive cylinder to define a plurality of separate transport chambers for holding cleaning-agent bodies and transporting the cleaning-agent bodies from the reservoir into the washing chamber, each of said separating walls being elastic at least in a partial area thereof and defined by a radial extent which is greater than a radial distance between a lateral surface of the drive cylinder and an inner wall of the cavity.
 15. The metering device of claim 14, wherein the separating wall bears in a vapor-tight manner against the inner wall of the cavity by a restoring force as a result of an elastic deformation of the separating wall.
 16. The metering device of claim 14, wherein the radial extent of the separating wall exceeds the radial distance between the lateral surface of the drive cylinder and the inner wall of the cavity by 10% to 50%.
 17. The metering device of claim 14, wherein the radial extent of the separating wall exceeds the radial distance between the lateral surface of the drive cylinder and the inner wall of the cavity by 10% to 30%.
 18. The metering device of claim 14, wherein the separating walls are configured to be elastic only in partial areas thereof.
 19. The metering device of claim 14, wherein the partial area of the separating wall is an end region remote from the drive cylinder.
 20. The metering device of claim 14, wherein the separating wall has an end region remote from the drive cylinder, said end region being configured to be non-elastic.
 21. The metering device of claim 14, wherein the drive cylinder defines a rotational axis which is displaced in a direction of the reservoir, in comparison with an axis of symmetry of the cavity.
 22. The metering device of claim 14, further comprising support webs fastened to the drive cylinder and assigned to the separating walls in one-to-one correspondence, said support webs being configured and arranged such that a drive-cylinder-remote end of the separating walls is prevented from bearing against the drive cylinder.
 23. The metering device of claim 14, wherein the cell wheel is a two-component injection-molded part.
 24. The metering device of claim 14, wherein the cell wheel is configured to enable compression thereof in an axial direction.
 25. The metering device of claim 14, wherein the cell wheel is defined by a width which when the cell wheel is removed from the cavity is greater than a distance between two opposing side walls of the cavity.
 26. The metering device of claim 25, wherein the cell wheel is pretensioned with a pretensioning force against the side walls.
 27. A household dishwasher, comprising a metering device for dispensing a cleaning-agent body from a reservoir into a washing chamber of a household dishwasher, said metering device comprising a cell wheel rotatably mounted in a cavity and including a drive cylinder and a plurality of separating walls fastened to the drive cylinder to define a plurality of separate transport chambers for holding cleaning-agent bodies and transporting the cleaning-agent bodies from the reservoir into the washing chamber, each of said separating walls being elastic at least in a partial area thereof and defined by a radial extent which is greater than a radial distance between a lateral surface of the drive cylinder and an inner wall of the cavity.
 28. The household dishwasher of claim 27, wherein the separating wall bears in a vapor-tight manner against the inner wall of the cavity by a restoring force as a result of an elastic deformation of the separating wall.
 29. The household dishwasher of claim 27, wherein the radial extent of the separating wall exceeds the radial distance between the lateral surface of the drive cylinder and the inner wall of the cavity by 10% to 50%, in particular by 10% to 30%.
 30. The household dishwasher of claim 27, wherein the partial area of the separating wall is an end region remote from the drive cylinder.
 31. The household dishwasher of claim 27, wherein the separating wall has an end region remote from the drive cylinder, said end region being configured to be non-elastic.
 32. The household dishwasher of claim 27, wherein the drive cylinder defines a rotational axis which is displaced in a direction of the reservoir, in comparison with an axis of symmetry of the cavity.
 33. The household dishwasher of claim 27, wherein the metering device includes support webs fastened to the drive cylinder and assigned to the separating walls in one-to-one correspondence, said support webs being configured and arranged such that a drive-cylinder-remote end of the separating walls are prevented from bearing against the drive cylinder.
 34. The household dishwasher of claim 27, wherein the cell wheel is a two-component injection-molded part.
 35. The household dishwasher of claim 27, wherein the cell wheel is configured to enable compression thereof in an axial direction.
 36. The household dishwasher of claim 27, wherein the cell wheel is defined by a width which when the cell wheel is removed from the cavity is greater than a distance between two opposing side walls of the cavity.
 37. The household dishwasher of claim 36, wherein the cell wheel is pretensioned with a pretensioning force against the side walls. 